Battle of the Buns Burger Competition and Live Music Return to Palmetto Bay

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The Village of Palmetto Bay is bringing back its popular 'Battle of the Buns' burger competition on Saturday, April 18th. The event will feature a live concert by local band Cutler Stew and allow both amateur 'Bun-derdogs' and professional 'Top Buns' chefs to compete for prizes and bragging rights. Attendees can purchase sample tickets to taste the burgers, and food and drinks will also be available for sale.

Why it matters

The Battle of the Buns is a beloved annual tradition that brings the Palmetto Bay community together around its local food culture and live music. After a pandemic-related hiatus, the return of this event signals a revival of community events and a chance for residents to reconnect over their shared love of great burgers.

The details

The Battle of the Buns competition will take place from 5 to 8 pm at Coral Reef Park in Palmetto Bay. Backyard chefs ('Bun-derdogs') and professional restaurant chefs ('Top Buns') will compete to win prizes for the 'Best Battle of the Buns Burger.' A $10 ticket will provide guests with 5 samples to taste and judge. Contestants in the professional 'Top Buns' category must provide 300 bite-sized samples, for which they will receive a $250 stipend, while amateur 'Bun-derdogs' cannot provide public samples. A panel of judges will blind taste and evaluate the burgers to select a winner in each category.

• The Battle of the Buns competition will take place on Saturday, April 18, 2026.
• The event will run from 5 to 8 pm.

What’s next

To register to compete in the Battle of the Buns, community members and businesses can go to https://form.123formbuilder.com/6941092/battle-of-the-buns-registration-2026.